Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-10-07
THE RACE. FOR THE cur.
Scene in New York Harbor when the Vol
mnteer and Thistle Sailed

unteer and Thistle Sailed.
Everything about the metropolis that
could float had come to the race, all load
ed to the guards with passengers. There
were big black steamships, big white
steamboats,, Fan River steamers, eXcur-
sion steamers, white steam yachts and
black steam yachts, steam lighters, tugs
with excursions, tugs with photographers,
tugs with reporters, trading schooners,
schooner yachts, sloop yachts, cutter
yachts, yawls, cat boats, kitten boats row
boats, dinges, and in fact everything from
the ark of the deluge to the shell OF the
oarsman, bobbing about under the noses
of the steamers. 1t was city of boats
auS y of flags as large as the stalls
vi krry and in every variety of hines
IN WAS blaze of fluttering, bright
col0Ts. The big steamers were black with
people. There were thousands upon
thousands. making black the three decks
of each They were like flies on white
sugar candy Whenever they surged to
one side to view anything of sudden inter
est the big boats careened till they seemed
likely to capsize.
THE RACE.
The breeze was from the south. Both
boats stood across the bay, the Volunteer
reaching furthest Then over the faces OF
the spectators ON the wharves, OF the adj
ditional thousands that lined the shores.
of the black throngs on the two forts, and
the multitudes on the verandas of the
shore hotels came a look of blankest sur
prise. The Volunteer, furthest inshore.
had caught a breeze The Thistle was I'M
lucky and did not share it. The Boston
yacht began to speed down the bay in the
most cheerful of moods, while the Thistle
stood still on the face of the waters.
Minute after minute the strange sight
continued, 1t was partly luck and partly
judgment, but it was unfortunate.
Yard after. yard the Volunteer crept
away until she had nearly mile the adj
vantage. Then the sails of the Thistle
filled, and she, too, started, but too late.
1t was one of these accidents that occur
in all races The wind had shifted four
points to the westward. The Volunteer
had caught it long ahead of her rival, and
as she went ahead of her down the bay it
constantly freshened, and she got the first
of its freshness and increased her lead.
1t shifted gradually, and the Thistle, try
ing to follow the Volunteer, continually
fell off, until it seemed that she was no
match for the Burgess boat in pointing.
She headed in close to the wind and fell
off so often as her sails began to flutter
that the superiority of the centreboard
boat in close sailing became more appa-
rent in seeming than it was in fact. The
whole fleet of spectators were surprised.
They were disappointed, too. Ihey had
looked forward to a very close race, and it
had become simply procession.
Once i'll the lead, nothing afloat with a
stick in it could catch the Volunteer. She
outpointed the Thistle wonderfully. On
nearly every tack the Thistle stood on so
far as to go about on the Volunteers
weather quarter but as soon as the sloop
was ready TO 90 about again she had the
Thistle under her lee. This windward
work settled the question OF Centreboards
versus keels for most people, and it will
he a difficult thing to convince them that
a keel vessel can be built to outpoint an
equally smart centreboarder.
Once around the two buoys inside
Sandy Hook the Volunteers speed was
magnificent She has done some iin5
work before this, but none 30 fine as she
Hook llghtship aud back. Though she
did not have wind enough to put her lee
rail near the water she averaged close to
an II knot gait,and surprised even her Old
admirers by her speed
The Thistle was gradually dropped
astern until, tat one time, she was nearly u
three and half miles i'll the rear. She
went well, however and made Il gallant
fight of it. She maintained her prestige
in the run in from the .lightship and was
by no means as far behind the sloop at
the finish AS it looked at one time as il
she would be.
The race, however, was only chase d;
and a stern chase is prOverbal)y u long
and hopeless affair. The defeat was de
cded one, TOR the Thistle has never been
SO far ahead OF the English yachts, as the
Volunteer was ahead OF the Thistle on
Tuesday.